Sanitary bandage



June 2, 1953 BROWN 2,640,483

' SANITARY BANDAGE Filed June 22 1950 v INVENTOR. P0779 590w 42/ afarrryPatented June 2, 1953 SANITARY BANDAGE Ruth Brown, New York, N. Y.

Application June 22, 1950, Serial No. 169,649

Claims.

This invention relates to sanitary bandages, particularly the so-calledcatamenial pouches, and has for its main object to provide an improvedconstruction for the same whereby they will be more simple and lessexpensive than has been the case heretofore, at the same time being moreeflicient, reliable and comfortable in use. Another object of thisinvention is to provide a novel outer covering or envelope for acatamenial pouch enclosing an absorbent filling, the

pouch being adapted to have the securing means for the outer envelope toalso secure the filling thereto, thereby preventing a relative motion, aslipping or crowding one against the other.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a device ascharacterized hereinbefore, which will have a novel opening in theenvelope for exposing the absorbent filler and which opening will makethe use and wearing of the device safer and more pleasant.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent as the specification ofthe same proceeds or will be pointed out therein.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification and accompanyingthe same:

Fig. l is a plan view of the preferred embodi- 'ment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View thereof, the section being taken on the line2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing one form of the application of mycatamenial bandage;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modification of my invention, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of another modification.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail by characters of reference,the numeral III indicates the preferred embodiment of my novel sanitarybandage, which mainly consists of an outer sleeve-like member orenvelope generally indicated by the numeral II, and an inner fillermember generally indicated by the numeral I2.

The outer sleeve member is comparatively long and made of soft, pliable,thin, light, moistureproof material, which will be chemically resisting,or inert, so as to cause no irritation, which will be washable so as tobe sanitary, and which will have no heavy seams, beads, and will not bebulky. One such material which I successfully used for the outer sleevecover or envelope of my invention is a plastic sheet material made ofpolyethylene, the sleeve being manufactured by heat-sealing or fusingthe device and making it practically seamless.

The outer sleeve or envelope I I of my device in the embodiment thereofshown in Figs. 1 to 3 will be practically of even width all along itslength and will have both of its ends I3 and I4 entirely open. The innerfiller, lining, or socalled napkin, material will be of absorbentcharacter as is necessary for the purpose of such devices, and willpreferably consist of an outer gauze-like cover I5 and an inner softabsorbent filler proper I6, like cotton. The inner absorbent filler willbe employed only in the center portion of the device, generallyindicated by the numeral H, but the outer gauze cover I5 will becontinued in a narrower portion I5a and I512 up to or possibly through,the open ends I3 and I4 -of the outer envelope I I. A tapering openingI8 is provided on the top side of the envelope II, said opening beingelongated so as to cover the major part of the wider portion I 'I of theinner absorbent filler or napkin I2, and said opening wil1 be wider atthe front end thereof, as indicated at I9, gradually narrowing towardsthe rear end 20 of the same.

In the preferred embodiment, the wider end I9 is curved while the end 20is terminating at a point so that the opening or window I8 is ofelongated shape with inclined sides and rounded wide front end.

The .use of my device will be as follows:

The open ends I4 and I3 will be gripped by any appropriate devices likethe usual grips women wear, as indicated at 2I and 22, and by thesegrips they will be suspended in any approriate manner either on aspecial belt, or on an undergarment, as indicated at 23, straps 2Ia and22a of appropriate length being provided from the belt 23 carrying thegripping or clamping devices 2| and 22. For better grip, and for securinthe outer sleeve II and the inner filler I2 together, thereby preventingany relative motion, sliding, slipping or crowding of them, the ends I3and I 4 of the sleeve, with the respective ends I51; and I5!) of thelining, preferably will be rolled up a few turns and then gripped by theclamps 2I and 22. Of course any other suspension and securing means maybe used for my device, as will be understood.

The advantages of this device over all the sanitary or catamenialbandages and pouches proposed heretofore also will be obvious.

The filler I2 may be slipped into the outer cover or sleeve II fromeither end thereof with the greatest facility. Any appropriate filler ornapkin may be used, one of them having been described hereinbefore,indeed even a piece of clean absorbent ra or fold of paper tissues mayhe slipped into the sleeve I I.

The securing of the filler or napkin together with the outer sleeve willprevent relative slipping or crowding of them against one another whichis one of the drawbacks of such devices used or proposed heretofore.

The shape of the window or opening l8 will permit contact of theabsorbent filler or napkin only where it is needed. The border aroundthe window of my design will keep the sides and edges of the napkin orfiller tightly covered with the soft thin plastic sheet, instead of theouter envelope spreading and moving away from the sides of the absorbentfiller when the article is bent into wearing position as is the casewith this type of device proposed heretofore. Due to this fact, my novelsanitary bandage will prevent any seepage, leakage or staining from thefiller or napkin, and will also prevent any chafing which would becaused by rubbing against the edges of the filler napkin which becomerough in use and which also may rise and be so exposed in the earlierdevices. Nor will any discomfort to the wearer result from contact withthe envelope or pouch, due to the shape of my window, the sides of whichwill not spread away from the filler and loosen the entire piece out ofposition; also the envelope material itself cannot cause chafing beinginert and soft.

It also will be obvious that after use the device may be easily removed,the napkin or filler' thrown away, the device sanitarily cleaned, and anew filler of any appropriate material easily slipped into it and thensecured as described.

In Fig. 4 I illustrate a modification of my device in which an outercover, envelope or pouch, indicated by the numeral 24, is used, similarin nature to the one in Fig. 1. However, the cover is closed at one end,as indicated at 25, said end of the cover being elongated and ending ina narrow substantially pointed termination. The other end 28 thereof isshorter and made with two angular-1y placed short sides 21 and 28 andclosed except for a comparatively small opening as at 24a.

The filler or napkin 25 may be of similar construction as describedhereinbefore, and may be slipped into the cover or pouch 24 through thewider end of the end of the window 33 thereof. The outer gauze or otherstress resisting cover of the filler 29 is made narrow and long at bothends. The end 38 thereof is passed through a hole 3| in the upper sideof the pouch 24 to the outside thereof, as indicated at 32, being ofsufiicient length to substantially reach the point or termination 25 ofthat end of the pouch. A window or opening 33 of similar shape anddesign as described hereinbei'ore is provided at the top of the envelope24 over a major portion or the wider part of the absorbent filler ornapkin 29. This pouch also will be suspended on a belt or on anundergarment, the suspension devices gripping the end 25 thereof withthe end 32 of the napkin cover, and the end 29a of said cover projectingthrough the opening 24a, respectively.

At the end 25 the grip device will engage both the end of the pouch 24and the end of the reduced or thinner portion 32 of the inner napkin orfiller cover whereby here, again, a relative motion or slipping of thepouch and the absorbent filler 29 will be prevented. In this case alsothe device can be easily filled, secured in the desired manner, asdescribed, and as easily removed, cleaned and the filler thereofreplaced.

Another advantage of this construction lies in the fact that the endofthe cover extension 32 may be observed and so rolled up with theenvelope end 25, and said extension 32 will bear against the body of thewearer so that she can feel that the device is in a right position.

In Fig. 5, finally, I show still a further modification of my device inwhich also an outer cover, envelope or pouch 34 is used of similarmaterial as described in the earlier embodiments. However, the pouch inthis embodiment is shorter and has two blunt pointed ends 35 and 36,each having a small opening. 35a and 36a, respectively, so that narrowends 31 and 38 of the filler 39 are passed through said openingswhereupon the ready sanitary bandage may be suspended on a belt or on anappropriate undergarment secured by suitable grips or clamps through theends 31 and 38 of the filler 39.

It will be understood that in the embodiments of Figs. 4 and 5 thefiller or napkin will be inserted through the window, the narrow ends ofthe napkin being worked through the respective small end openings in theenvelopes.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is:

1. A catamenial bandage comprising an elongated outer envelope or pouchof soft, light, thin, moisture-proof, and chemically non-reacting andnot irritating or allergic reaction producing material, without heavybeads, seams or bulkiness, the rear end of said envelope beingsubstantially wide and having a smaller opening therein, and the frontend of it being substantially long. gradually narrowing and closed, ahole in the top of the front end, an absorbent filler in said envelopeadapted to resist a stress, the front portion of said absorbent fillerbeing narrow and passing through said hole in the top of the front partof the envelope to the outside of it, and to its narrow end, said endand the respective end of the filler thus being adapted to be grippedtogether thereby preventing a relative motion. slipping or crowding ofthe filler within the envelope, a window on the top surface of theenvelope exposing said filler, a rear narrow portion of the fillerpassing through said small opening in the rear end of the envelope, andmeans to suspend the device through said joint front ends of theenvelope and filler, and through said rear projecting end of the filler,respectively.

2. In a device, as set forth in claim 1, said window having a wide frontand being rearwardly narrowing substantially to a point.

3. A catamenial bandage comprising a soft, thin, substantially seamlessenvelope of smooth, chemically inert material, a moisture permeablefiller therein, one of the end portions of said absorbent fillerreaching to one of the ends of the envelope; said envelope comprisingupper and lower substantially flat portions and having a longitudinallyextending tapering window in the top portion thereof, through whichmoisture may be absorbed by said filler, and openings therein onopposite sides of said window, at least one of which is on one of saidflat portions, through which openings the end portions of said fillermay extend.

4. A catamenial device according to claim 3, wherein said one of saidopenings is disposed in substantially spaced relation to the adjacentend of the envelope.

5. A catamenial device according to claim 4, wherein at least one end ofsaid filler passes through said one of said openings and over theenvelope and continues in such position to the 5 6 end of the envelopeto be secured together there- Number Name Date with. 2,015,631 SpanelSept. 24, 1935 RUTH BROWN' FOREIGN PATENTS References Cited in the fileof this patent 5 Number C y Date UNITED STATES PATENTS 606,320 GreatBritain Aug. 11, 1948 Number Name Date OTHER REFERENCES 867,091Altermatt Sept. 24, 1907 Publication: Article entitled Polyethylene1,975,457 Heyman Oct. 2, 1934 from Sept. 1944 issue of Plastics. A copyis in 1,975,618 Raskin Oct. 2, 1934 10 Div. 50 of the Patent Office, pp.39-43 and 100.

